How To Handle Childhood Obesity

A chubby baby is a cute baby but not necessarily ahealthy baby. It has been seen that babies who put on too much of weight in the first few months of their life are atrisk for obesity in later life. The baby that is too plump may succumb to the vicious cycle of inactivity, lethargy and excessive eating.

The less he/she can move, the fatter he/she gets and the fatter he/she gets, the less he/she can move. This will also lead to frustration in the child and crankiness, which may only cause the parent to feed her further to assuage the child and keep it happy. Make sure you distinguish clearly between childhood obesity and mere roundedness by speaking to your doctor.

A little bit of fat is needed. Some overly concerned parents may under feed their babies, which may lead to thinness and failure to thrive. Chubby babies cannot lose weight like adults but you can get them to slow down their weight gain with the help of these tips.

Tips to Handle Childhood Obesity

Feed Only When Hungry

Make sure youfeed the child only when he/she is hungry and not when the child is cranky or depressed. Beating baby blues with food will simply pile on the pounds over your baby. The baby will soon get bored, depressed and lethargic and will only demand more food when strapped in the pushchair. Many babies take solace in food because their parents simply do not have time for them.

Instead of feeding the child, play with the child, coo and sing to her and entice her with toys instead which will stimulate her brain. Take the baby with you when you run errands and watch him/her enjoy his/her environment with glee. Do not give the baby teething biscuits. Give it teething rings instead.

Make Dietary Adjustments

It is vital to breast-feed the baby for six months exclusively. Breast fed babies are rarely over weight. This is because when the baby suckles on the milk, the fore milk, which comprises of water, assuages the baby’s hunger to a large extent.

The fatty hind milk comes next, which quickly sends signals to the baby’s brain telling it that the tummy is full.

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Even if the baby continues suckling, the breast empties itself out at the right time so that the baby does not over eat. This is nature’s way of keeping the balance. The baby may continue to suckle on the breast without gaining weight. Formula fed infants are more prone to obesity. It is better at such times to speak with your doctor on the right formula, which will do more good than harm.

Try Water

While infants get their daily dose of water throughbreast milk, older babies can be given this calorie free beverage just before or after their meal to satisfy their sucking reflexes. This will also get the baby to drink water in large quantities, which is good for the baby.

Do Not Give Solids Prematurely

Some mothers introduce solids prematurely because they do not want to get into the hassle of breast-feeding. Not only is this unhealthy, but it also predisposes your baby to obesity. Introduce solids only after 6 months and do so gradually.

Get Your Baby To Move

Encourage your child tor roll, crawl and stand up. Play games with the child. You can get the child to do stationary cycling by moving his/her legs. Any form of physical activity will ensure that your child stays in shape.